The Indian Embassy in Beijing has quietly rolled out a new e-Business sub-class—labelled the e-B-4 Visa—to help Chinese engineers and executives enter India for equipment installation, IT ramp-ups and other plant-commissioning tasks. Introduced on 1 January and confirmed in an advisory on 5 January, the visa can be requested entirely online; approvals are expected within 45–50 days and allow a stay of up to six months.
The move addresses pent-up demand from Chinese suppliers to India’s electronics and renewable-energy sectors, where after-sales support often requires on-site specialists. Previously, many projects faced weeks-long delays while applicants shuttled paperwork between visa agents and consulates. Under e-B-4, Indian host companies register on the DPIIT’s National Single Window System and upload invitation letters; travellers then complete biometric capture on arrival.
![India Launches e-B-4 ‘Production Investment’ Visa for Chinese Business Travellers]()
For companies unfamiliar with India’s evolving entry rules, third-party facilitators like VisaHQ can streamline the process. Through its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), VisaHQ offers up-to-date guidance, document checklists and application tracking for e-business categories—including emerging variants such as the e-B-4—helping mobility teams avoid submission errors and costly delays.
Corporate mobility managers advise firms to bundle multiple site visits into a single trip and to budget extra time for background checks given continuing border-security sensitivities. They also note that the e-B-4 is distinct from the regular one-year e-Business visa and should be used only for the enumerated technical purposes to avoid compliance issues.
Though narrowly targeted, the pilot could become a template for sector-specific visas serving other trade partners such as Vietnam and South Korea. Analysts view it as a pragmatic step in the gradual normalisation of India–China business ties following years of pandemic-era and geopolitical disruptions.
The move addresses pent-up demand from Chinese suppliers to India’s electronics and renewable-energy sectors, where after-sales support often requires on-site specialists. Previously, many projects faced weeks-long delays while applicants shuttled paperwork between visa agents and consulates. Under e-B-4, Indian host companies register on the DPIIT’s National Single Window System and upload invitation letters; travellers then complete biometric capture on arrival.
For companies unfamiliar with India’s evolving entry rules, third-party facilitators like VisaHQ can streamline the process. Through its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), VisaHQ offers up-to-date guidance, document checklists and application tracking for e-business categories—including emerging variants such as the e-B-4—helping mobility teams avoid submission errors and costly delays.
Corporate mobility managers advise firms to bundle multiple site visits into a single trip and to budget extra time for background checks given continuing border-security sensitivities. They also note that the e-B-4 is distinct from the regular one-year e-Business visa and should be used only for the enumerated technical purposes to avoid compliance issues.
Though narrowly targeted, the pilot could become a template for sector-specific visas serving other trade partners such as Vietnam and South Korea. Analysts view it as a pragmatic step in the gradual normalisation of India–China business ties following years of pandemic-era and geopolitical disruptions.
